Improvement in electro-magnetic gas-lighting apparatus



ALVION N. ALLEN 8L RODNEY H. DEWEY.

Improvement in EIeCtm-Magneic Gas Lighting Apparatus. .N0 119,492, Patented Oct.. 3,'1871.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALMON N. ALLEN AND BODNEY H. DEWEY, OF IITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC GAS-LIGHTING APPARATUS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 119,492, dated October 3, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALMON N. ALLEN and RODNEY H. DEWEY, of Pittseld, in the county of Berkshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Magneto-Electric Gas-Lighters5 and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, in which draw- 1n g Figure l represents a sectional front view of this invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional end view of the same.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to an apparatus for lighting gas in the streets of a city, which consists ehieiy of a magneto-electric machine mounted in each gas-post and moved by means of a spring, the motion of said magnetoelectric machine being controlled by the action of the gas'on a diaphragm, which also serves to open and close the passage of the gas to the burner.

In the drawing, A designates a frame, in which is mounted a coiled spring, B, that is inclosed in a suitable drum, and the axle C of which extends beyond the side pieces ofthe frame A, as shown in Fig. 2. On one end of said axle is mounted a cog-wheel, a, which connects, by a train of wheels b c d e, with the axle fof a magneto-electric machine, D. On the opposite end of the axle C is mounted a cog-wheel, g, which connects, by an intermediate cog-wheel, h, with a cog-wheel, t', mounted loosely on a stud or arbor, j. On this stud is also mounted loosely a ratchet-wheel, k, which receives an intermittent rotary motion by a pawl, l, mounted on a lever, m. This lever swings looselyon the arbor j, and its outer end connects, by a rod, a, with a lever, o, which is connected by a rod, p, with another lever, q, that has its fulcrum on a standard, r, and the end of which is provided with an oblong slot to catch over a stud, s, projecting from a sleeve, E, that is fitted over the shank of the gas-burner F or the pipe leading to the same. The standard r rises from a lentil-shaped case, Gr, through the top of which passes the sleeve E 5 and this sleeve is secured to an elastic diaphragm, H, extending through the center of the case G, and dividing the same in two compartments. The lower compartment connects with the gas-supply pipe I, while the shank of the burner F is perforated with a hole, t, (see Fig. 1,) which, when the diaphragm is down in its position of rest, is covered by the sleeve E 5 but if gas is admitted to the chamber beneath the diaphragm said diaphragm is forced up in its center and the sleeve E is raised.

By raising said sleeve the hole t is uncovered and gas is admitted to the burner, and at the same time the motion of the sleeve is transmitted, by the levers q, o, and m, to the pawl l, and the ratchet-wheel 7c is turned for the space of one tooth. As this ratchet-wheel turns, one of its teeth acts on a nose, u, projecting from a slide, fu, thereby forcing said slide upward and causing it to raise a spring-stop, x, which, when permitted to follow its own inclination, drops in gear with a cam, t', secured to the side of the cogwheel t', and by abutting against the shoulder of said cam retains the same, and with it the entire train of wheels a b c d e, which transmit the motion produced by the spring B to the magnetoelectric machine. As soon as the springstop a' is raised, the magneto-electric machine begins to act, and the ga-s admitted to the burner through the hole tis ignited. The motion of the magneto-electric machine, however, continues only until the cam t" has completed one revolution, for as soon as the tooth of the ratchet-wheel le has passed the nose a of the slide c the stop a bears upon the circumference of the cam, and when this cam has completed its revolution its shoulder strikes the stop and the motion of the magnetoelectric machine is arrested. Vhcn the gas is shut oft' from the pipe I the dame goes out, the diaphragm H returns to its original position, and the pawl l is carried down ready to take the subsequent tooth of the ratchet-wheel L.

If the gas-burner should be at a distance from the case G the pipe F would be closed on top and connected by a pipe, El, with the burner.

The magneto-electric machine which we use may be of any desired construction 5 but we propose to use a machine such as described in the patent of Henry Vilde, dated November 13, 1866, and numbered 59,7385 and in this case the helix ofthe magneto-electric machine revolves between a series of permanent magnets composing the frame A. It is obvious that in this apparatus the spring B must be wound up from time to time 5 but since the motion of the magneto-electric machine takes place only once a day, and then for a Very short time, our apparatus requires but very little attention.

By the action of the gas itself the supply-opening for gas to the burner is uncovered and the gear communicating motion to the magneto-electric machine is set free; but, if desired, compressed air might be used to actuate the diaphragm.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination of a magneto-electric machine acted upon by a spring with a gas-burner, substantially as described.

2. The arrangement of a diaphragm acted on by gas or air under pressure and serving to control the motion of a spring power acting on a magneto-electric machine, substantially in the manner herein set forth. y

ALMON N. ALLEN. RODNEY H. DEWEY. Witnesses:

J AMES vM. BARKER, T. P. PINGREE. 

